


The Teddy Bear Project

by Stonyinspirationwriter



Series: The Ava Stark-Rogers Series [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Father-Daughter Relationship, James Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Separation Anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 15:53:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4269243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stonyinspirationwriter/pseuds/Stonyinspirationwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony figures out a way to calm Ava's separation anxiety the first time they leave her overnight.</p><p>Another piece included in a series of shorts involving Steve Rogers and Tony Stark with a daughter. Will hopefully lead up to a longer story that involves her transition into becoming the Iron Woman. (Series can be read in any order)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Teddy Bear Project

**Author's Note:**

> I absolutely know in my heart that Tony would be an amazing father.
> 
> Any suggestions involving how I could add to this universe?

image  
“Stay with me”, a childish voice begged. Ava stood between them, two little hands grasping at each one of theirs; golden-heart-melting-brown-eyes looking up at them. Tears ran down her little cheeks, dampening her long lashes, and her bottom lip trembled.

Tony looked over at Steve, who looked just as helpless as he felt watching their three year old daughter cry. Rhodey held out his hand to her, promising her that her daddies would return, and that she was going to have a lot of fun with his family—everything Steve and Tony had already promised her. Ava made a noise of protest and latched onto Tony’s leg. Rhodey’s eleven year old son, James Jr. and nine year old daughter, Catherine, tried to coax her into playing with them, but it only caused her to hold his leg tighter.

Ava suffered from a severe case of separation anxiety that had significantly escalated over time despite all their efforts. It fed on her irrational fear that something would happen to her Papa and Daddy once they left her sight. A few years before she was born, that fear would have been valid, but once they had decided to become parents they had given up their dangerous lifestyle. Now they only aided The Avengers behind the scenes. Ava had no inkling of the danger they had once been in, so there was no valid reason for her anxiety.

Maybe they had coddled her too much. Had unintentionally instigated her behavior. Maybe the silent terror that seized their hearts whenever she left their sight somehow seeped into her subconscious. How could anyone blame them, with the life they had lived, for being overprotective of their daughter. Ava was the most precious thing in their lives, and they would die for her without a moments hesitation. But this had gotten way out of hand. It was not only unhealthy for her, but also for their marriage.

Day or night, Ava now refused to leave their side. Tony couldn’t remember the last time he had been able to hold Steve in their bed without the barrier of a little body between the two of them. Or the last time they had done something more intimate than a quickie in the shower—which was always abruptly ended anyway by Ava knocking on the door and demanding attention. Whenever one of them left the house—with the exception of Steve’s morning run—she would throw a violent fit. She’d scream and cry until her cheeks were a shade of scarlet. She’d begged them to stay as if that parent’s life depended on it. The fit would go on until she eventually worked herself into exhaustion.

Now the day Steve and Tony had dreaded had finally come: they would have to leave her. They had an important meeting in DC that they couldn’t take her to, so Rhodey and his family had agreed to take care of Ava for the two days they would be gone. Any preparation leading up to this moment had been in vain, though, and Ava was on the verge of one of her fits.

“Daddy, Papa, please don’t leave me!” Ava cried. “I want to go with you!”

“You can’t come with us, baby.” Steve said gently, crouching down to her level. He brushed her tears away from her cheeks with the pads of his fingers. “We’ll be back before you know it. You’re going to have so much fun here that you aren’t gonna know we even left.” He offered her a little smile, but she looked away from him. He looked up at Tony for help.

“You’re not coming back!” She sobbed.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Tony scooped her up in his arms. “How could you even say that?” You’re our whole world—you’re our universe. Without you, the world would implode on itself, Amore. We love you more than anything. We’ll come back, I promise.”

“Always”, Steve reiterated.

Ava buried her face in Tony’s chest, her warm tears leaking through his shirt. “No!” She whined. “No, Daddy, Papa”, she mumbled into his chest.

“I have something for you”, Tony said, “but you’re gonna have to stop crying before I can give it to you. How about a little smile, huh?” He rubbed her back, pressing his face to his cheek. “Can you do that for Daddy?”

Her interest piqued, she looked up at him. She sniffled, but refused to smile. Tony figured that was the best he was gonna get. With Ava still in his arms, he opened the front door. “Project Teddy Bear is a go”, he said over his shoulder before stepping outside.

“Project Teddy Bear?” Rhodey asked. Steve shook his head and shrugged. Everyone stepped outside to see what the genius was up to. Ava stood on the driveway watching as Tony pulled something out of a box from the truck of their car.

He held up two teddy bears, one in each hand. One of the bears was a golden color with azure colored glass eyes that resembled Steve’s. The bear wore a dark blue shirt and khaki pants—much like the clothes Steve owned. Sewn to its paw was the red, white, and blue Captain America shield. The other teddy bear was a darker brown, with the same golden brown eyes that Tony and Ava shared. The bear wore a blank tank top with a glowing blue circle shining through the fabric in the chest area, made to resemble Tony’s arc reactor. The tattered blue jeans it wore was a duplicate of Tony’s favorite pair, which he usually wore around the workshop.

“This is Papa Bear and Daddy Bear”, Tony explained. “They promised to take good care of you while we’re gone. See this”, he pointed to the blue light on Daddy Bear’s chest, “this is made from the same element of the arc reactor in my chest. It’ll shine away the darkness if you’re scared at night. And see this”, he gestured to Papa Bear, “it’s just like Papa’s shield. It’ll stop any bad thoughts that start forming in your head.”

Ava’s eyes were wide as she took in the bears. With her finger she traced Papa Bear’s shield and Daddy Bear’s arc reactor. She smiled, a gleeful grin. “Papa Bear. Daddy Bear.” She said out loud. She reached for them but Tony pulled them back.

“You can have them if you promise to be strong while Papa and Daddy are gone.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you sure? Daddy Bear and Papa Bear will tell me if you are lying.”

“ ‘M sure.”

Tony handed her the bears and she closely examined them. “Whenever you feel sad or scared”, Tony explained, “hold them tightly to your chest, and think of us. We’ll be thinking of you, too.” She closed her eyes and held the bears to her chest. Tony closed his eyes too, and pressed his forehead to hers. After a moment he kissed her forehead and she opened her eyes.

“Tank you, Daddy.” Ava murmured, pressing the bears against his chest.

"I love you, Mi Amore", Tony said, wrapping her and the bears in arms. He held her close, shutting his eyes once again, and breathing in her scent. Steve then appreared at their side and joined in on the hug so he had his cheek pressed to hers.

“Who taught you to be such a great father, Tones?” Rhodey called from the porch. “Makin the rest of us look bad!” He chuckled.

“I learned from the best”, Tony whispered so only Steve could hear.

Tony watched their daughter from the passenger side window as they pulled at of the driveway. She stood on the porch with Rhodey, the teddy bears pressed against her chest. She caught Tony’s eye and offered him a slight smile.

“Looks like project Teddy Bear is a success.” Steve said. “Where’d you get the bears?”

“I know a guy.” Tony said easily.

“You’re a good father.”

Tony watched as their daughter slowly disappeared from sight. He closed his eyes, thinking of her little face. He mentally sent his love to her, hoping it will blanket her until he returned. “She’s going to be okay,” he said out loud, releasing his own anxiety.

********************************************************************

Ava didn’t let go of those bears for years, even when her dads were present. It was a big stepping stone in her recovery from her separation anxiety. She’d still occasionally suffer one of her attacks, but they were nowhere near the severity they once were. Steve and Tony for the most part reclaimed their bed and rekindled their sex life, except for the days Ava couldn’t fall back to sleep and would crawl into their bed with her bears. She was no longer as attached to their hips, though. Some days she’d spend hours alone in her room, playing with her bears, or doing some other activity, but whatever she did, Papa Bear and Daddy Bear remained at her side.

Even as she grew older and eventually moved into her own place, she still kept the bears with her. They sat on her bed as constant reminder of her daddies love.

**Author's Note:**

> For more on Ava's story: http://avastarkrogers.tumblr.com/meetava
> 
> The official Ava Stark-Rogers tumblr: http://avastarkrogers.tumblr.com/


End file.
